A Healthy Church / 1 Timothy 5:17–25
📖 Scripture
17 The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
18 For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,” and “The worker deserves his wages.”
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses.
20 But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.
21 I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.
22 Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.
23 Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.
24 The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them.
25 In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.
📝 Scripture Summary
Elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those who preach and teach. Accusations against elders require two or three witnesses, and elders who are sinning must be rebuked in public as a warning to others. Paul urges Timothy to keep these instructions without favoritism.
🔍 Reflection
Instructions for Elders (5:17–21)
When leaders are committed to serving with integrity and humility, churches can flourish. Paul knows the importance of laying this foundation for the young leader, Timothy. He provides three principles: honor elders who serve, especially if they teach and preach; maintain high standards of holy living for the leaders; and avoid playing favorites. These principles help the church maintain a healthy environment where faith can flourish and lives can be transformed by the gospel. When elders lead the church with integrity, it builds trust, and believers can honor and respect those who lead. When there is no favoritism, cliques and factions are less likely to develop and divide the church. We should all work to create a healthy church family.
Consider the ways your church creates and maintains a healthy environment. How can you contribute to the health of your church?
Physical and Spiritual Health (5:22–25)
Paul continues to offer practical guidelines to Timothy. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining purity and avoiding sin, which can have obvious consequences in the moment or ones that appear much later. Paul also encourages Timothy to look after his physical health, which affects his work for the church. Our physical and spiritual health is important, but this does not mean that we should be judgmental when others falter or fail. None of us are perfect, but because of God’s grace, we experience His transforming power. Instead of sinning against God and His people, we can focus on good deeds that build up His kingdom and continue to be diligent in maintaining our physical and spiritual health.
Think about your own physical and spiritual health. In what ways can you better maintain your health and avoid negative influences?
🙏 Prayer
Dear God, I want my church to be a healthy church, one that is free from favoritism and strives to maintain physical and spiritual health. Keep me free from the entanglements of sin. May I instead be focused on good deeds to build up Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, amen.
✍ Essay
When Leaders Fall
Paul explains that the sins of some are obvious, but others’ sins trail behind them. This can also be true of church leaders, who are called to a high standard. They must be people of integrity, committed to purity and holiness in their lives. When this is forgotten or neglected, the church can suffer greatly.
Years ago, the pastor of a large church in my community confessed to patterns of sin after decades of leading the church he founded. The effects of this confession were devastating. News outlets pounced on the story, lambasting the church and Christianity. Some left the church, and others lost their faith in leadership. Sadly, for many people, the situation also affected their understanding of God and called into question the credibility of the gospel. By God’s grace, the leaders of this church responded to this confession with humility, repentance, and discipline. They openly acknowledged the sinful behavior, grieved over it, and worked toward restoration of the church and the pastoral role. They did not make light of the sin or minimize its severity. They extended care through counseling and support. They set new standards and policies for leaders to follow to prevent such patterns from going unnoticed, and they prayerfully appointed a new pastor who was committed to preaching and living with integrity, transparency, and accountability.
As we strive to live with integrity, let us avoid hypocrisy in our own lives and lean on God’s grace as we pursue godly living and allow Him to cleanse us from the inside out.
Written by Kris Anderson
📣 Today’s Inspiration
“Prominence in the world is not a criteria by which the church should choose its leaders . . . The criteria are character and the behavior that reveals character.”
– Terry Johnson